The first meeting of the India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission since 2018 in the near future, Ukrainian Foreign Minister says
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday (January 3, 2023), days after returning from a visit to Russia. He discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict besides talking about enhancing bilateral cooperation.
 
In a post on social media platform X, EAM Jaishankar described it as “a useful conversation” and said, “Discussed advancing our bilateral cooperation in the year ahead. Exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine”.
 
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba also took to X and said he informed his Indian counterpart about “Russia’s recent escalation of terror and mass air attacks, which caused civilian suffering and destruction”.
 
“We discussed further cooperation on the Peace Formula. In this regard, I informed my counterpart of Ukraine’s vision for the Global Peace Summit of leaders. We agreed to hold the first meeting of the India-Ukraine Inter-Governmental Commission since 2018 in the near future. The rejuvenation of this primary mechanism of our bilateral ties will allow us to jointly move forward in a comprehensive manner,” he wrote in his post on X.

The conversation comes less than a week after EAM Jaishankar returned from a visit to Moscow and St Petersburg, during which he said that India-Russia ties were based on geopolitical interests and strategic convergence.
 
Speaking at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on December 27, 2023, EAM Jaishankar said, "What clearly came out was that India-Russia relations remain very steady, remain very strong, they are based on our strategic convergence, on our geopolitical interests, and because they are mutually beneficial".
Foreign Minister Lavrov is said to have commended India for its responsible approach to discussing geopolitical issues, including the Ukraine situation.

While voicing deep concern over the situation in Ukraine, India has repeatedly stressed on the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring an end to the conflict which began with the Russian military operation on February 24, 2022.